Cushioning insole for boots and shoes



May 26, 1931; M.c. Ml-:ssLER l 1,807,341

CUSHIONING `INSOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed oct. 29. 1927 Mael/Z074 mm/U Patented May 26, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE MATIE C. MESSLER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MADGE MESSIER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND CUSHIONING INSOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Application filed October 29, 1927. ."Scrial No. 229,637.

This invention relates uto a cushioning insole for boots and shoes which can be built in as a part of the shoe or which'may be insertedA therein.

The invention has for its object to provide a novel insole, which can be used in shoes of ordinary or standard makes as a cushion for the foot for its entire length and as a` support for the arches of the foot.

To this end, the cushioning insole is provided with a heel, shank, ball and forepart of sponge or like soft rubber, with the heel, shank and ball portions of substantial thickness and with the forepart of less thickness which gradually tapers from near the ball portion to the end of the toe portion.

The sponge rubber insole may and preferably will be provided with a thin, flexible, backing member, preferably of kid or like thin, flexible leather which is secured to the uppe surface of the sponge rubberl insole, and, when the latter is to be built into a welt shoe, is made yof greater width Vthan the sponge rubber insole so as to overhang the rubber insole and provide side and end 4flaps for sewing the cushioning insole to the regular insole of a welt shoe.

The tapered forepart extends from the front end of the toe portionto near the ball portion and preferably slightly beyond a plane transversely of the insole through the ball portion and su`bstantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the insole, and beyond said transverse plane the ball portion is tapered laterally to form side portions of less thickness than the intermediate portion and to constitute the latter a supporting member for the metatarsal arch of the foot as will be described.

The particular features of the invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specication.

Fig, 1 represents in side elevation and section a Welt shoe having built therein a cushioning insole embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the insole shown in Fig. 1 beforebeing built into the shoe;

Fig. 3, a plan view ofthe insole shown in Fig. 2 inverted;

Bassum Fig. 4, a side elevation of a modified insole, and

Fig. 5, a cross section on .the line 5 5,

Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings, a represents the improved sponge rubber insole comprising a rear portion l0 of substantial thickness 1 and having substantially parallel, fiat upper and lower surfaces 12,13., and a front portion 14 having a substantially flat upper surface 15 and a substantially long tapering lower surface 16, which extends rearwardly from the end of the toe portion 17 of the insole.

on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis 20,

of the insole, said tapered lower surface is carried rearwardly and merges with the bottom surface of the rear portion 10.

By extending the taper of the front member on opposite sidesof the long axis of the insole, the latter is provided with a ball portion having laterally tapering side portions 21 and an intermediate portion 22 of greater thickness and of substantially the same thickness as t-he shank and the heel parts of the rear portion 10 of the insole. intermediate part 22 of the ball portion is suiiciently narrow to permit it to serve as a support for the intermediate bones of the metatarsal arch, while the laterally tapered sides 21 of the ball portion permit the oints of the big and little toes to be supported at The thicker a lower level than the intermediate bones of portion of the insole, and that the intermediate ball portion 22 is of substantially the same thickness as the shank and heel portions and is provided with a curved or substantially curved outline or edge 241 which extends rearwardly of the plane 19 through the widest part of the insole.

It will be observed that the insole is provided with a front member which extends from near the ball portion to the front end of the toe portion and merges with the laterally tapering sides 21 of the ball portion. Preferably the tapered front member 14 extends from the front end of the toe portion beyond the transverse plane 19 through the widest portion of the insole, and gradually diminishes in thickness from thefront extremity of the thicker intermediate vpart 22 of the ball portion to the front end of the insole.

As a result a shoe of standard or ordinary construction having a toe portion of normal 0r relatively limited height, and consequently of limited head room for the reception of the toes of the foot as now exists in the standard makes of shoes, may be provided with a cushion for the toes, without detrimental effects to the wearer of the shoe, such as crowding the toes and causing them to become heated and swollen, with resultant pressure upon the toe nails, with liability of producing ingrowing nails, and attendant discomfort and danger to .the wearer.

The cushioning rubber insole may and preferably will have applied to its upper surface a thin backing member 25y of kid leather or other suitable material, which may be af- {ixed to said surface in any suitable manner, and when the insole'is to be built into a welt shoe as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the backing member 25 is made wide enough to form side and end aps 26, which are secured to the regular insole 27 by the inseam stitches 28 which sew the upper 29 and welt 30 to the insole 27.

l/Vhen the cushioning rubber insole a is to be inserted into the shoe, the flaps 26 of the backing 0r covering member 25 are omitted as represented in Fig. 4.

From the above description, it will be seen that a boot or shoe having a cushioning insole such as herein described may b e worn with maximum comfort to the wearer, as the foot is cushioned from toe to heel of the foot, and at the same time the arches are supported and held up in the desired manner, and these desirable results are obtained in a shoe of standard make and style having a toeportion of normal height, without discomfort or danger to the wearer.

While it is preferred to make the cushioning insole of sponge rubber, it is not desired to limit the invention in this respect, as any other soft and yielding material, such as crepe rubber may be used to advantage.

of substantially theY same thickness as the shank and heel portions, said center portion having on one surface a curved edge or outline at the rear of said transverse plane and formed by said front portion and said tapering sides.

2. A cushioning insole of soft rubber for boots and shoes provided with heel and shank portions of substantial and uniform thickness and a ball portion having a part thereof intermediate the side edges of the ball portion of substantially the same thickness as the shank and heel portions and having thinner side portions tapering downward laterally away from said intermediate part and extended rearwardly of a plane transversely of the insole through said intermediate part of said ball portion, said heel, shank and intermediate ball portions having normally substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, and being of substantially and uniform thickness to enable the heel portion to be substantially depressed by the heel of the foot to cushion the said heel, said shank portion conforming to and supporting the longitudinal arch of the foot, when said heel portion is depressed.

3. A. cushioning insole of soft rubber for boots and shoes provided with heel and shank portion of substantial and uniform` thickness and a ball portion having a part thereof intermediate the side edges of the ball portion of substantially the same thickness as said shank and heel portions and having thinner side portions tapering downward laterally away from said intermediate part and extended rearwardly of a plane transversely of the insole through said intermediate part of said ball portion and having a downward tapering part extended forward from the foremost end of the thicker intermediate part of said ball portion, said heel, shank and intermediate ball portions having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces, and being of substantial and uniform thickness to en` able the heel portion to be substantially depressed by the heel of the foot to cushion said heel, said shank portion conforming to and supporting the longitudinal arch of the foot, when said heel portion is depressed.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatie MATIE C. MESSLER.

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